Sulfate‐reducing bacteria in the periodontal pocket

Abstract

This report is the first to describe the occurrence of sulfate‐reducing bacteria in the human mouth. Samples of subgingival dental plaque were examined for the presence of sulfate‐reducing bacteria. Using enrichment cultures, sulfate‐reducing bacteria were detected in 25 (58%) of 43 individuals, and in 39 (48%) of the 82 samples. Pure isolates of sulfate‐reducing bacteria, obtained from a limited number of enrichment cultures, belonged to the genera Desulfobacter and Desulfovibrio. These genera are also the predominant sulfate‐reducing bacteria in the human large intestine. The sulfate‐reducing bacteria use sulfate as terminal electron acceptor to oxidize low‐molecular‐weight organic compounds, mainly products of microbial fermentation such as acetate, lactate etc. The numbers of sulfate‐reducing bacteria in the mouth are assumed to be limited by sulfate. Potential sources of sulfate in the subgingival area include free sulfate in pocket fluid and glycosaminoglycans from periodontal tissues.

Growth of the Desulfomicrobium sp. strains, their sulfate- and lactate usage, production of sulfide and acetate by the strains isolated from the human large intestine

“…Increased sulfide and acetate concentrations can lead to the inhibition of digestive processes in the human intestine. Hydrogen sulfide is also cytotoxic and can potentially cause a carcinogenic effect along with the development of intestinal diseases [18,23,24]. It is known that hydrogen sulfide has an effect on butyrate oxidation processes and can consequently cause damage to the integrity of the epithelial barrier cells and inflammation of the colon epithelium [2,16,18,21,22,24].…”

“…It was established that the small human intestine absorbs sulfate in a concentration of about 7 mmol SO 4 2-per day, the rest of sulfate falls into the colon [2]. Consumption of sulfate is a regulatory factor in the reduction of sulfate in the gut [23,24,31]. It can have an important role in the development of ulcerative colitis [5].…”

“…The presence of sulfate in the intestine stimulates the growth of SRB that reduce sulfate to H 2 S. Hydrogen sulfide affects the lining of the intestines, it is toxic for epithelial cells, specifically inhibits the growth colonocytes [2], phagocytosis, causes death of other intestinal bacteria, induces hyperproliferation and metabolic abnormalities of epithelial cells [16,23,24,31]. It was found that the concentration of this metabolite and the number of SRB significantly increased during inflammatory bowel processes [21,23,24].…”

“…It was found that the concentration of this metabolite and the number of SRB significantly increased during inflammatory bowel processes [21,23,24]. The use of antibiotics (metronidazole or ciprofloxacin) leads to decrease the SRB number and consequently, to the formation of hydrogen sulfide.…”

A Case of Liver Abscess withDesulfovibrio desulfuricansBacteremia

“…In human and animal, Desulfovibrio spp. colonize oral cavities and gastrointestinal tracts [ 3 , 4 ] and infrequently cause infections in human, such as periodontitis, brain abscess, liver abscess, and blood stream infection [ 2 , 5 – 10 ]. Few case reports have described the use of antimicrobials in curing Desulfovibrio -infected patients; additional case reports are needed to determine the antibiotic therapy appropriate for the treatment of such infections.…”